Kitchen Faucet Cleaning Guide

So you have just installed a brand new kitchen sink, and have selected your faucets to match your decor, sense of style, and for practically of cleaning. OK, so you forgot about the last bit, but fear not, as many people forget about maintenance.

Some metals are far easier to clean than others, and require extra care when cleaning. Depending on the metal you have chosen, using the wrong cleaning product may take away that beautiful kitchen showroom look rather quickly.

Before you break out the bleach or apply the ammonia, or even spray on standard kitchen cleaners, take a look at my guide to cleaning kitchen faucets and you can prolong your showroom shininess considerably.

Here are a few tips for cleaning kitchen faucets to keep them looking as good as new, or in the case of an antique copper finish, as good as old.

Before considering the cleaning products to use on your nice new faucet, you need to pay attention to the type of cloth, sponge or scourer you use. Wire or steel wool may be very efficient at removing stubborn stains, but they are also remarkably efficient at destroying the look of your faucets. No matter how stained, unless you want to create a decidedly rustic look, don't be tempted to resort to highly abrasive cleaning brushes and scourers.

Your faucet will inevitably scratch over time, which will create a not too unpleasant “used” look, but it is best not to speed up that process. To keep the nice shiny look for longer, only ever use a soft cloth or sponge to clean your faucet, and remember to always clean metal faucets along the grain of the metal, and not across it, as that will more than likely scratch the surface.

If a soft cloth or sponge is not cleaning properly with just water or mild soap, you need to use a specialist cleaning product to help get those stubborn stains off without removing the metal finish of the faucet. However, you will need to choose your cleaning product wisely, as it needs to match the metal used to construct or plate your faucet.

A great way of getting to all those difficult to reach parts around the back of a faucet is to use an old toothbrush. To clean stubborn stains from the base of the work surface, simply add a little baking soda to the toothbrush and a tiny amount of water and that should do the trick.

Cleaning areas which are prone to pick up muck need not be a headache. Between the rim and the sink mount, use dental floss and it will get all those stubborn bits of gunk out in next to no time.

Multipurpose cleaners have a somewhat misleading name when it comes to kitchen faucet cleaning, and you will need to make sure that you use the correct product to ensure that when you clean, you only remove the dirt and do not speed up corrosion or tarnish the metal finish.

Whilst metal specific products are a great choice, with great options included in this hub next to the relevant metal, they often come at considerable expense. If you have invested heavily in your faucet, they are a great choice, but to keep the cost down there are some great household products that you are bound to already have in your cupboards which can work just as well. Check the specific material below for some good cleaning tips for the budget conscious!

Stainless steel faucets are cheap and easy to clean, and as the name suggests are “stainless”, meaning that they will resist corrosion for a good long lifespan. However stainless steel does not mean they are “stain proof” and the metal will tarnish over time and does still need to be looked after. Keeping stainless steel faucets clean is a breeze, and a little mild soap and water is all that is required in most cases.

Many standard cleaners include chlorides, which can have an adverse effect on the look of your shiny new stainless steel faucet. Whilst you do not have to avoid these cleaning products, it is important that if used, that they are only applied briefly, used sparingly, and that the faucet is thoroughly rinsed afterwards. If left on the faucet, the chloride can react with the stainless steel and cause discoloration, and bleach should always be avoided. Always dry off after after cleaning to avoid water spot marks, preferably with a microfiber cloth.

Whilst stainless steel resists stains, if you live in an area with hard water, your faucets will almost certainly develop a coating of limescale. To prevent this happening, make sure you clean your faucet twice a week. If limescale does build up, instead of using limescale remover, simply put a little white wine vinegar on a sponge and use that. It dissolves limescale in seconds, although for heavy scaling you may have to leave the vinegar on the faucet for around a minute. Just be sure to rinse off thoroughly afterwards, and dry with a microfiber cloth.

To clean and old stainless steel faucet, it is best to use a specialist stainless steel metal polish, together with a little elbow grease. Remember to always clean with the grain on brushed stainless steel finishes to avoid scratching.

Stainless steel cleaning wipes are a great choice, and are cheap and effective and will bring up stainless steel a treat, with minimum fuss.

Chrome plated faucets are one of the easiest metal finishes to clean, but use standard cleaning products at your peril. The list of definite “no no’s” when it comes to cleaning chrome is long. Acid cleaners, ammonia based cleaning fluids and bleach should all be avoided like the plague, as they can speed up corrosion and will almost certainly spoil that lovely brushed metal look.

Fortunately, as with stainless steel, a great shine can be brought up really easily on polished chrome and nickel finishes with a little white wine vinegar on a sponge. You’ll be amazed at the results, and it brings up tarnished chrome a treat. If you have brushed chrome however, stick with a specialist chrome cleaner, use sparingly, and follow the instructions on the bottle.

Let’s be honest here, brass and bronze look great, but they can be high maintenance and a bit of a pain to clean. They will stain and corrode faster than any other metal, and once stained, it can be a real pig to restore. To prolong the lifespan of brass and bronze faucets, you should regularly apply micro-crystalline wax to protect the metal, with Renaissance Wax undoubtedly the best choice.

Just apply a little of the wax with a soft cloth, and buff up afterwards with a clean cloth, and it will really prolong that nice shiny look. You have to be extra careful when cleaning both of these metals, as anything other than a soft cloth can cause scratching, and even paper kitchen towels can affect the look. Always clean with an ultra soft cloth and don’t even look at the taps with a scouring pad in your hand!

Oil rubbed bronze needs to be treated regularly with mineral oil rather than wax. Just apply the oil, and pat dry until it no longer looks wet, and the lifespan will be greatly increased.

Copper may look great in your kitchen, but it is also one of the most labour intensive metals to have to clean, and can pick up stains quite easily. It looks great, but you really do need to take extra special care, and avoid leaving water spots. You'll need to dry off after each use, and even then, you are likely to have to clean and polish very often.

Smothering your faucet with tomato ketchup will certainly have the same effect as it does with cleaning old pennies, but it does rather spoil the look of your kitchen as you need to leave it on for a while for the acid to sort out any tarnishing. If you prefer not to leave your kitchen looking like a Texas chainsaw massacre set, stick to specialized copper cleaners. Since you have to clean and polish regularly, they are a good investment.

If you can afford to buy gold plated faucets, you can probably afford to buy a specialist gold cleaner. If however you have blown all of your spare cash on an expensive new look to a kitchen you can simply clean with mild soap and water.

Gold is one of the most resistant metals to corrosion. After cleaning, simply rinse thoroughly, dry with a microfiber cloth, and buff up to a beautiful shine. Job done.

Check out my other plumbing hubs and transform your kitchen with a brand new kitchen faucet or bring a new one back into full working order!

Delta Kitchen Faucets for 2011

Delta Kitchen Faucet Repair Kits